SENATE CONFIRMS DAVITA VANCE-COOKS AS PUBLIC PRINTER

Experienced leader is first African-American and first woman to lead GPO

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate has unanimously confirmed Davita Vance-Cooks as Public Printer. With more than 30 years of private sector and Government experience, Vance-Cooks has served as the Acting Public Printer since January 3, 2012. She is the first African-American and the first woman ever to be nominated and confirmed for the leadership of the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), which opened its doors for business on March 4, 1861, the same day Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as President. With the Senate’s approval she becomes the 27th Public Printer of the United States.

President Barack Obama nominated Vance-Cooks as Public Printer on May 9, 2013. Her confirmation hearing was held June 12 before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. The Committee reported her nomination favorably to the full Senate on July 24. Vance-Cooks’ confirmation marks the swiftest Senate action on a Public Printer nominee in nearly 20 years.

"It is a great honor to have been nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to lead the GPO," said Vance-Cooks. "I look forward to working with everyone who shares a stake in our historic mission of Keeping America Informed as we continue transitioning our products and services to meet the needs of Congress, Federal agencies, and the public in this digital age."

GPO is the Federal Government's official, digital, secure resource for producing, procuring, cataloging, indexing, authenticating, disseminating, and preserving the official information products of the U.S. Government. The GPO is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the Federal Government, including U.S. passports for the Department of State as well as the official publications of Congress, the White House, and other Federal agencies in digital and print formats. GPO provides for permanent public access to Federal Government information at no charge through our Federal Digital System (www.fdsys.gov), partnerships with approximately 1,200 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program, and our secure online bookstore. For more information, please visit www.gpo.gov.